Herbert Breidenbach ("Heribert", "Herb") Breidenbach, 89, of Elmwood Park, IL, formerly of San Jose, CA and Charleston, IL passed away peacefully at home on March 29, 2024 surrounded by family and friends.

A compassionate, patient and benevolent person with a dry sense of humor, Herbert dearly loved his family, friends and students. He lived life to the fullest, enjoying teaching, bee keeping, writing, philosophizing, visiting museums, reading, stamp collecting, walking (especially in the woods), singing, attending classical music concerts and the opera, and traveling to Germany, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Thailand, Malta and other countries around the world. Throughout his teaching career and into retirement, Herbert and his wife assisted many international students who came to the U.S. to study.

Born in Germany on February 14, 1935, Herbert came to the U.S. in 1960. After studying in Mississippi for three years, he lived in Chicago and Urbana, IL, earning an M.A. in German from Northwestern University in 1965 and a Ph.D. in German Literature from the University of Illinois (UIUC) in 1970.

Herbert taught German language, literature and culture and Latin for over 31 years. From 1969 to 1989, he was a professor of German and for several years Chair of the Department of Modern Languages at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. From 1989 to 2000, Herbert was Chair of the Foreign Language Department and professor of German and Latin at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. After retiring, he taught Mythology and German, part-time, at DePaul University in Chicago, IL.

He was active in many organizations including the Hemingway House (Oak Park), the Newman Center at Eastern Illinois University, ICTFL (Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages), AATG (American Association of Teachers of German), the German Philatelic Society and Rotary International, where he was a Harris Fellow. Herbert was a long-time parishioner at St. Giles Church in Oak Park, Illinois.

Herbert authored two novels, A Song for Natalie, a World War II story and The Honeybee, the story of a disabled woman who fights to overcome obstacles as she struggles to be accepted for who she is.

Herbert is survived by his wife of over 59 years, Flora Breidenbach nee Losacco; son, Paul (of Elmwood Park); daughter, Carla (of San Jose, CA); grandson, David (of Elmwood Park); siblings, Rev. Konrad, CSSp; Anita (Gerd) Busch and Rita (Josef) Straub; sister-in-law, Agnes, and numerous nieces and nephews, all in Germany.

He is predeceased by his parents Anna (Blass) and Alois; his second father, Joseph Blechmann; his sister and brother-in-law, Elisabeth and Klemens Oerder; and his brother, Wilhelm ("Willi").

The family extends its gratitude to Herbert's loving caregivers, Angie, Sandra, Giovanna and Ula and to Loyola Hospice, especially for the care given by Debbie, Sheila, Diana, Kristina and Dr. Jaime Lewis. Thank you also to Dr.Courtney Kimi Suh.

A memorial service to celebrate Herbert's life will be held in the summer of 2024.

In lieu of flowers, plant a tree in Herbert's memory, make a memorial contribution to help save bees and monarch butterflies, (www.thegiftedtree.com/save-the-monarch-butterfly) or (www.nrdc.org/savebees) or make a memorial contribution to a charity of your choice.